


I Need You Like Water

by orphan_account



Category: Captain America (Comics), Captain America (Movies), Captain America - All Media Types, Marvel, Marvel (Comics), Marvel (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Bucky is kind of an asshole, M/M, Sarcasm, Steve pines, americas golden boy, bc hair, bucky is scared of water, chillin at the beach, cuteness, kissing boys, lifeguard AU, mention of Sam Wilson - Freeform, minor clintasha bc i love them, nat is like the gay bff, peter parker is sassy, post tws looking bucky, so is Tony, steve is a golden retriever, steve is the hot lifeguard, they both notice, they're both hot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-01
Updated: 2016-09-01
Packaged: 2018-08-12 07:38:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,400
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7926226
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>the one where bucky is afraid of water and steve is the golden retriever of lifeguards</p>
            </blockquote>





	I Need You Like Water

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks so much for reading! First work on here, so please be nice. now, to stucky

Steve has always been fascinated by the water. It's powerful and beautiful and scary but still something little kids and adults alike can enjoy. He can never stop talking about it. 

So it was no surprise to Sam when he decided on lifeguarding for a summer job a couple years ago and fell in love with it. He'd worked his way up to head guard that summer, which for him meant more time in the water and less time up in the stand.

He fit in well with the other guards, many of them also being in swim teams like Steve was. One year they taught swim lessons and ocean safety and all the parents and kids liked Steve and his enthusiasm for the water so much that he was booked full the next summer with private lessons. 

Steve knew all the names of the regular beach visitors and came to the beach often even when he wasn't working. He would strike up a conversation with the little kids swimming there and they would leave knowing five new facts about ocean safety and begging their parents to come back soon to see Steve. 

He could coax the most nervous of new swimmers into the water and turn them into next year's most promising swim team members.

He was absolutely in love with his job and the people there were in love with him.

-

Bucky has always been afraid of the water. It's terrifying, dangerous, deadly to adults and children alike. It lures you in with a false sense of security then takes you down under the waves, silently, instantly.

Usually he'd never want to be near any body of water but when work relocated him to California, he really had no other choice other than loose his job.

So here he was. Stuck in a house many would kill for because of the proximity of the beach that he hated.

His therapist told him maybe it was a good thing he was near the ocean. Y'know, the stereotypical "face your fears!" bullshit. So, against his better judgement he was going down to the beach once a week (okay, once every two weeks.) 

Naturally, he wouldn't go that far, just to the beginning of the beach, where the sand was piled up and very very dry. 

People tried to make friendly conversation but after exchanging a few pleasantries he'd just get on his phone, obviously signaling I do not want to talk to you. 

But of course, Natasha HAD to have her party at the beach. 

"It's perfect," she explained, "it'll be close to your house so if anyone gets too drunk they can sleep it off-" 

"I wasn't aware I was offering my house for that," he had protested.

"Happy birthday to me!" 

Bucky just rolled his eyes.

She grinned at him. "I hear there are some pretty cute lifeguards there..."

"You know I won't swim."

"Well I’ve been swimming, and there's this suuuuper cute blonde guy, he's really nice too," she smirked at him. "It'd be great for you to get laid."

"Fuck off, Nat."

"See, this is what I'm telling you! When you don't have sex in a while, you -especially- get cranky and irritable and..."

Bucky started to tune her out and thought about the ocean. Maybe, just maybe, he could try to swim this time. He'd been going to the beach for a while and felt the best about the ocean he'd felt in a long time. 

He knew how to swim, thankfully. His parents enrolled him in swimming lessons before his phobia had worsened, so he wasn't totally in the dark. It didn't stop the fear in its tracks however. He still found it terrifying.

"...so what I'm saying is, you should go for it! Get some!"

Bucky laughed softly and rolled his eyes once more.

-

Now, looking back, Bucky knows it was a dumb idea. Then, not so much.

He's still not quite sure how he worked out that facing his worst fear -which is pretty deadly- while under the influence and around his friends (at his best friend's birthday party, for God's sake) was a good idea.

At least he had some sensibility, as he thought he should do a test run first. He chose a morning on a weekday where he knew there would be minimal people to witness his (possible? definite?) mistake.

He was surprised to find he still had swim trunks that fit him reasonably well. With sunscreen on, hair in a ponytail and a towel under his arm he left for the beach. 

As he assumed, there were maybe four or five other people at the beach and the lifeguards looked bored. He set his stuff under one of the cheap, plastic umbrellas. He stood for a moment, not knowing what exactly what to do, feeling lost. 

He awkwardly made his way to the waves, flinching at the cool water. 

Bucky waded in till he was waist deep and then feel forward onto his stomach and started kicking. He was swimming! He was really doing it. And he wasn't doing badly either! 

And then he made the mistake of looking how far he had gone.

It was all too much, too much, too much.

He was way too far, almost too far for anyone to get him if he drowned.

Bucky started to take more frantic breaths, kicking hard to keep his head above water. The water was closing in around and above him. 

He tried calling out but he was sinking fast. Hours seemed to pass as he panicked. 

But then he could hear someone swimming towards him and a lifeguarding tube shoved under his arms. 

"Hey, are you okay? I'm Steve, I'm a lifeguard here. . ."

"Yeah I'm. . . I'm okay I just. . . Went too far," Bucky managed to get out in between heavy breaths.

"Well I'm gonna get you back to the beach, alright?"

". . .okay."

-

Bucky was livid with himself. And thoroughly embarrassed as well. The embarrassment continued as he had to fill out forms ("For legal purposes," Steve said, "So we don't get sued for not helping you," when Bucky protested, because all he wanted to do was go home) and the other lifeguards gave him concerned looks. 

He was mad at himself and Steve. He understood he was drowning and that, if he wasn't helped they could've gotten in serious trouble, but part of him felt like he should've just let him die. It was his fault, he was too bold and sure of himself, and if he died he wouldn't have made a fucking fool of himself and been spared a shit tin of humiliation. 

Upon getting home he took a shower, made some tea and wrapped himself in a blanket of self pity. Then he called Natasha. 

"You WHAT!?"

"Please don't make me say it again."

"Oh my god, this is too good. You got saved by the fucking golden retriever of lifeguards!" Natasha howled with laughter. "Clint, c'mere! Oh, this is too good!"

Bucky groaned. Now he was sure he'd never hear the end of this. 

The teasing endured for a few more moments and then Natasha said, ever the concerned mother, "Wait, but, are you really okay? Did you get hurt?" 

"Only my pride. I had to fill out forms, Nat, and all these teenagers were giving me the biggest pity eyes you've ever seen. It was horrible."

"Aw, poor Bucky. It's okay, we'll be over in 10 with ice cream."

Bucky rolled his eyes. "'M not a child, Nat, I don't need-"

"Too late, already in the car. See you!"

Nat and Clint just made Bucky feel more sorry for himself. They treated him with so much pity and he just got more upset. After watching a few movies (and feeling more like a third wheel than ever, as the pair were cuddling on the couch) he sent them off. 

While (miserably) eating his dinner, he decided that as much as he hated it, he should go back to the beach eventually. Not tomorrow, the wound was too fresh for that. But he made a vow to go back before Natasha's birthday.

-

Bucky sat at the very beginning of the beach like he did before the "Drowning Incident." (Credit to Natasha on that one.) But of course he wasn't far enough to avoid the lifeguards.

Steve had spotted him while up in the stand while turning around to check that the shrieks from the kids running around were happy ones. He also most definitely did NOT get a lil distracted once he saw the cute guy he saved a couple days ago sitting on the sand. He tries to focus, he really does, he just makes up a lot of excuses to turn around. That kid could've fallen, that guy's been still and quiet for a while, is he passed out? 

When Peter came and relieved him from the stand, Steve could’ve kissed him. Thirty minutes felt like thirty hours knowing that- Bucky? That was his name, right?- was there. 

To set a good example as a head guard he checked the bathroom then gets one of the new guards to wipe down the mirrors then he rattled off something to Tony, the manager on duty, sounding like, "Oh hey this guy that I saved last week is here and that's cool that he had the strength to come back so I'm gonna talk to him and see how he's doing y'know because you can have a fear of water for the rest of your life after so-"

"Yeah, whatever, Rogers, we both know you think he's cute. Go. . . Do your puppy thing that gets everyone loving you," Tony muttered back, looking at his phone.

"Y'know, for a manager you don't do much," Steve quirked an eyebrow.

"Tell that to me next time literally anything breaks!" Tony called after him.

 

Steve rolled his eyes. 

-

Bucky cringed inwardly as the blonde walked up to him and plopped himself down next to him without invitation. He really didn't want to endure any more humiliation and pity from this fucking Labrador of a man.

"So you came back." Steve offers.

"Yeah," Bucky says as he tries to make himself invisible.

"That's really brave of you, actually."

When Bucky snorts and raises his eyebrows in disbelief, Steve plows on. "No, I mean it! Some people, after drowning, have serious issues, for lack of a better phrase, with the ocean and water afterwards but you're . . .here and you're proving to yourself that your fear doesn't control you." 

"Well that was poetic and beautiful and deep but I don't need your pity and I really don't think I'm 'proving to myself the water doesn't control me,' I'm trying not to be afraid of the water by the time my friend's party rolls around. But thank you for humoring me, I'll be leaving now," he straightened up and started walking away, trying (and failing) to get away from the waves of pity coming off this guy. Who does he think he is? He had the situation fine, was even feeling less fucking stupid and irrational but nooo the universe just wants to fuck with him and won't let him mope alone.

"Wait!"

Bucky rolled his eyes before turning around to Steve. "Yes?"

"I, um, could help you with your fear of you want?" Steve suggested sheepishly. "I've helped a lot of kids terrified of water through lessons and if be happy to do the same for you, if you'd want it."

Bucky chuckles unhumorously, "No, really, that's okay, I'm not some five-year-old scared if a shark. Plus you wouldn't want to waste your time on me."

And before Steve can say anything else, he walks as fast as he can back home without looking like he's running away.

Steve signs up for a shift every day that week, hoping to see Bucky again.

-

Of course, because luck is against him, the one day Steve's mom decides to have a "family outing" is the day Bucky shows up to the beach. 

Luckily, Steve was a nice head guard that actually took the time to get to know his lifeguards (and their phone numbers) he finds out through Peter. 

From: Parker (3:17)  
ur guy thats scared of th beach is here

To: Parker (3:19)  
Tell him I say hi and the lessons are still ups for grabs whenever you get a chance. No rush if you're busy :) 

To: Parker (3:46)  
Well?

To: Parker (4:03)  
Did you ask? What did he say?

From: Parker (4:11)   
yes chill

From: Parker (4:12)  
um he said to tell you to fuck off

Steve was a little stung by that, but he did amend that he was a being a little too pushy. This is only the second time they've really talked and he doesn't want to nag or force him into anything. 

Then he got another text from Peter:

From: Parker (4:22)  
he liked me tho he was nice

And Steve gets a little more stung by that but at least Bucky doesn't hate all lifeguards? He thinks, grasping for a bright side to this.

To: Parker (4:27)   
Well thanks for asking 

Yeah. No bright side. 

-

Signing up for a shift everyday pays off and he saw Bucky again. He kept his excitement to himself (kind of) and tried to resist the temptation but ultimately failed. Peter (who was there as often as him) just sighed and said something under his breath that Steve pretended not to hear. 

So Steve stuck his earbuds in and walked up (much to Bucky’s dismay) but didn’t sit next to him. He flopped down on the sand and closed his eyes and listened to the music. He could feel Bucky’s eyes on him. 

He turned his head and looked a him, raising his eyebrows. “Stare much?”

“Can’t help it, since you’re so obsessed with me.”

In the right light, that could’ve been light and teasing but Bucky said it dryly, causing Steve to turn his head back away. 

“Look, I just wanna help you, or talk to you, or something, I. . .”

“Don’t need your help! I’m doing fine!” he said, sounding exasperated and almost hurt. “Please, just leave me alone.” 

Steve sighed. “Okay. Alright. Fine.” Trying to keep the hurt out of his voice, he walked away. He felt horrible, he shouldn’t’ve pushed him so much. He never even did that with the little ones who were afraid of the water, he should’ve gave Bucky space.

He’d fucked everything up now.

-

“Nat,” Bucky whined, “He wouldn’t leave me alone! What was I supposed to do?”

“Say yes! Buck, the man is an angel. He’s super sweet. He just wants to help you and get to know you. He likes you. As in, like like.”

“Clearly, he doesn’t like me because he doesn’t ever leave me alone. . .”

“Uh huh. Told you so,” Natasha sang.

“Shit.”

“You could say that.” Clint stated.

“I fucked up everything now.”

-

Before both of them knew it, it was Natasha’s birthday. Well, all Steve knew was he had to guard for a party. 

But Bucky knew this could be the biggest shit show of his life. He was certain that his house would be trashed, as would his friends.

He wasn’t wrong.

Everyone, save him, was drunk off their ass. He was very glad he wasn’t though, because of course Steve was one of the lifeguards. When he saw Steve, they made eye contact and Bucky tried furiously to tell him with his eyes that he was so sorry and he just wasn’t in the right state of mind at the time, you know? Because he’d been publicly humiliated and and and, but Steve had looked away. 

Parker of course noticed how starry-eyed Steve looked at Bucky. “Oh my god, either talk to him or stop staring.”

“I don’t know if you saw what happened the other day, but he kinda hates me now. I was being too pushy and weird and horrible and I scared him off and he hates me,” Steve whined.

“If you’d have an actual conversation with him, you’d know he feels horrible about that.” Peter started to walk away.

“Wait, what? Really? How did you know? What?”

“Like I said, actual conversations!” Peter called over his shoulder.

Steve smiled, giddy with emotion. “Careful with that tone there, Parker! You know I have the right to fire you!” he teased.

And so, after a good twenty minutes of Steve giving himself a mental pep talk, he walked over to where Bucky was sitting under their classic loungers and blue beach umbrellas.

Bucky lifted his head when Steve sat down in the chair next to him. They sat in silence for a moment, before Steve spoke up and said, “Listen, I’m so sorry for pushing you into stuff, I don’t know why I did that, you have to understand that is not me at all, like I never do that with the little kids that are scared of the water and-”

Steve continued to ramble on for several and Bucky continued to listen out of pure interest and entertainment.

“Hey, hey, hey, calm down, it’s alright, I overreacted,” Bucky admitted. Steve sighed in relief. “I just- I felt like I was being suffocated by you, a little bit. Oh my god, you’re fine,” he said when Steve grimaced at his past statement. “I also wasn’t feeling too well, I had a headache and I was frustrated with myself for being so scared, so I think we’re both at fault here.”

Steve looked at him with so much gratitude and happiness in his eyes. “Thank you. Really.”

They spent a moment of comfortable silence before Bucky said, “You know, if the offer still stands, I’m free on Friday. . . we could hang out here and I could try swimming again? If you’re free of course.”

“Oh, yeah, I’m free on Friday,” Steve managed to get out, shocked.

He had no idea if he was free on Friday.

-

Luckily he was. 

He met Bucky at the sand bar where he knew Bucky always sat and they walked down to the shore and let the water hit their toes. When they got deeper and Steve could hear Bucky’s breaths quickening, he decided to be bold and took his hand. Bucky smiled at steve, thankful for his support. 

The mood was effectively ruined by Parker and Stark whistling at them, “Oo, Steve!” “OH MY GOD, HOLDING HANDS, IT’S GETTIN’ SERIOUS!”

Steve muttered under his breath, “Oh my god, I’m going to make their lives a living hell. . .” and Bucky giggled at him. 

He took the opportunity to look at Steve while he was yelling something back at the two. He looked incredible. His hair was windswept and fluffy, making him look like a hedgehog. His face was screwed up in a pout, blue eyes aglow despite his furrowed eyebrows at Tony and Peter. His cheeks were pink from the warm LA air. He looked beautiful, Bucky thought. 

They splashed around in the water like little kids and giggled and enjoyed each other’s company. They sat on the sand where the water came up to their knees and talked about everything and nothing; their families, their pasts, Steve’s lifeguarding anecdotes (“She literally didn’t even know how to do CPR?!”), and Bucky’s adventures in finding a good therapist.

Once Bucky was feeling up to it (and Steve had checked that he was up to it about fifty times) they swam out pretty far. They floated on their backs, gazing at the clouds until Bucky startled, realizing where he was, getting out a small “Steve,” and he was by his side in an instant, holding him.

He felt okay then, holding on to Steve who was by his side, making him feel happy and content and calm, watching the clouds and blue, blue sky. Their faces seemed very close.

Steve admired him, his rosy pink lips, his sharp jawline under his thumb, his hair almost curly from the sea salt. He leaned in a captured his lips in a kiss. It was slow and careful but beautiful and intimate. 

Upon pulling back, Bucky looked into Steve’s eyes and smiled softly. “I like you a little bit.”

“I like you a little bit too.” 

And he pulled him in for another kiss.

**Author's Note:**

> Wanna see some random nerdy shit that includes music, stucky and aesthetic stuff? Follow me on twitter - @bluegreenanna


End file.
